El Cerrito High School baseball players DeAngelo Fleetwood, an outfielder, and Jamison Patanapanich, a pitcher, signed National Letters of Intent to continue their baseball dreams and education at the Grambling State University.

Five West Contra Costa Unified School District students from Dumlao’s Academy of martial Arts competed at the 2018 Junior World Association of Kickboxing Organizations (WAKO) World Championships in Jesolo, Italy, in September.

Happy November. It is lights, camera, action season for a great deal of West Contra Costa Unified School District students. We are more than a quarter of the way through the 2018-2019 school year and the District’s Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA) programs are preparing to take center stage.

The NCS announced that El Cerrito's Division III playoff game and the NCS Girls doubles match featuring Richmond High School scheduled for today have been postponed. The Gauchos will host Miramonte on Saturday, Nov. 17. No make up date for the Oilers girls doubles tennis match has been announced.

Julie Nesnansky, a special education at Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School, was recognized as KRON 4 News' Teacher of the Week for the week of October 22. Ms. Nesnansky has been teaching the West Contra Costa Unified School District for over 30 years and focuses on students with autism.

Each month, the parent and student district Local Control Accountability Plan committee provides input on how to improve outcomes for students. We’re looking for new members to join this dedicated group of students and parents.

The Warren W. Eukel Teacher Trust is recognizing Erik Radkiewicz’ outstanding commitment with the Eukel Award. The award is given annually to three exceptional Contra Costa County K-12 classroom teachers.

The West Contra Costa Unified School District and The Young Scholars Program presents Help a Brother Go to College Day Sunday, October 14 from 2 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at El Cerrito High School for young men of color and their parents. Learn More and Register.

Jayshon Montgomery, a senior at Greenwood Academy, was one of three high school students to earn an internship with Sony to work on its MESH project this past summer. MESH is a tool that lets anyone build their own projects and "smart inventions.

Pinole Valley High School football is on a roll as the Spartans improved to 7-0 in TCAL play and had coach Luke Bodwin named the Oakland Raiders' Tom Flores Coach of the Week after beating Vallejo 52-20 on Sept. 14.

Recently immigrated and refugee students in 9th and 10th grades at Richmond High School have the opportunity to adapt to a new culture, learn English, and take classes that prepare them for college and beyond.

Welcome back. Are you ready for a fantastic 2018-2019 school year? I am excited for the upcoming school year and everything that it has in store for WCCUSD students and employees. I hope that you had a restful and rejuvenating summer, because we have a lot of work to do this year.

The West Contra Costa Unified School District Board of Education unanimously voted Wednesday night to extend Superintendent Matthew Duffy’s contract by two years and rated his work as “Above Satisfactory” on his most recent evaluation.